Great Leaders Think Dirty Thoughts

As we climb the corporate ladder, we catch on that people on the lower rungs do the tactical, heavy work. Further up the ladder, they get to sit at desks and focus on strategy.

So, we set our sights on the upper rungs, work hard to get promoted to a job where we can stop getting our hands dirty, and use our minds instead.

To be in the role of big shot, we focus on big picture strategy and try not to even think about the details.

This is where the mistake happens.

If you dismiss the detail work associated with your strategy, there is a chance those details may never be thought through. Those small, dirty, details are what your strategy is constructed from. Bad details = failed strategy.

Maybe you have earned the right “not to get your hands dirty,” but you’ve got to at least think dirty.